Decreasing blue light increases growth of lettuce
Class
Article
Graduation Year
2018
College
College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences
Department
Plants, Soils, and Climate Department
Faculty Mentor
Bruce Bugbee
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract
Light quality (wavelength) and quantity (intensity) play an integral role in plant growth and development. It is understood that both red and blue light are necessary for plant growth and it is thought that green light may be beneficial for lower leaf photosynthesis. Photobiology Studies using LEDs are primarily executed at low light levels (Photosynthetic Photon Flux (PPF) lower than 200 µmol m2 s-1). This was because of the inefficiency of LEDs at high light levels. This poster will discuss the effects decreasing blue light on lettuce and kale, and the interactions between high light (PPF; 500 µmol m2 s-1, 11.5 Mol m2 d-1) and low light (200 µmol m2 d-1, 28.5 Mol m2 d-1). Eight treatments with varying levels of blue light where used to analyze the effect of decreasing blue light in lettuce. The treatments included: cool, neutral, and warm broad spectrum led lights, 30%, 20% 10% blue light chambers (red light as a background), and a 20% blue and 10% blue with 10% green light and 20% green light respectively. Growth of Red Salad Bowl lettuce increased significantly with decreasing blue light. Lettuce leaves where very sensitive to changes light quantity, and showed a foliage color change at high light. These results suggest that increasing blue light has a negative effect on plant growth, and that there are interactions between high and low light levels.
Location
South Atrium
Start Date
4-13-2017 1:30 PM
End Date
4-13-2017 2:45 PM
Decreasing blue light increases growth of lettuce
South Atrium
Light quality (wavelength) and quantity (intensity) play an integral role in plant growth and development. It is understood that both red and blue light are necessary for plant growth and it is thought that green light may be beneficial for lower leaf photosynthesis. Photobiology Studies using LEDs are primarily executed at low light levels (Photosynthetic Photon Flux (PPF) lower than 200 µmol m2 s-1). This was because of the inefficiency of LEDs at high light levels. This poster will discuss the effects decreasing blue light on lettuce and kale, and the interactions between high light (PPF; 500 µmol m2 s-1, 11.5 Mol m2 d-1) and low light (200 µmol m2 d-1, 28.5 Mol m2 d-1). Eight treatments with varying levels of blue light where used to analyze the effect of decreasing blue light in lettuce. The treatments included: cool, neutral, and warm broad spectrum led lights, 30%, 20% 10% blue light chambers (red light as a background), and a 20% blue and 10% blue with 10% green light and 20% green light respectively. Growth of Red Salad Bowl lettuce increased significantly with decreasing blue light. Lettuce leaves where very sensitive to changes light quantity, and showed a foliage color change at high light. These results suggest that increasing blue light has a negative effect on plant growth, and that there are interactions between high and low light levels.